Dalboka Mussel Farm – The authentic taste of the Black Sea

I wrote some time ago about the fairytale cuisine that follows us in our travels, but I didn’t try to give a definition of this section, mostly because what makes a journey richer, every time you discover culture, traditions or habits of the place you visit is the taste. If anything made you come back...

I wrote some time ago about the fairytale cuisine that follows us in our travels, but I didn’t try to give a definition of this section, mostly because what makes a journey richer, every time you discover culture, traditions or habits of the place you visit is the taste. If anything made you come back to a place that you have visited and that one specific thing stayed in your heart, then that „something” is definitely related to the particular traditions of the place that will always accompany you.

The taste is one of the most important ingredients of a holiday, and along with the accommodation conditions, the locals and the attractions of an area, will give you the perfect vacation.

The Fairytale Cuisine is the place where you will discover the best recommendations for an authentic taste. And the first step, because it’s summer, I chose to make it towards the Mediterranean cuisine because it is healthy, fresh, vivid and natural.

The lovers of mussels and fish dishes who are traveling to areas close to the Black Sea will certainly love this place. The mussels are transformed here into at least 30 different dishes, and the snails, the shrimps, the crawfish and other fish dishes will make you discover a place hidden from the eyes of those who are just passing this place.

Dalboka Mussels Farm is not a restaurant for the fastidiousness ones, who keep on the label, but it is a welcoming location with great hosts. Bulgarians are not only hospitable by attitude, but also by good taste and attention given to each client.

How do you get here?

If you are a tourist and you travel to Romania this year, the easiest way will be by car, but the road is not very friendly. After crossing the border with Bulgaria from Vama Veche, head to Durankulak / Varna. After about 40 kilometers, follow the Kaliakra Cape indicator and keep the direction to the left. An ad panel with Dalboka will then guide you to the right.

The route will seem to lead you into the wilderness, but quickly you will discover that you actually reach the seafront on an unpaved road, and to get there you will get descend a steep slope. Dalboka Mussel Farm is the right-hand restaurant and is often confused with another restaurant located opposite the farm. Here you can pay in Romanian Lei or Bulgarian Leva, but you will not be able to make a card payment.

What dishes you can serve?

The restaurant offers a rich menu of fresh mussels specialties from its own farm in the Black Sea. In addition to mussels specialties, the menu also includes fish dishes, fresh salads, and also pork or chicken dishes in case you do not know why you are in Dalboka. 🙂

Some informative prices for you make a general idea are:

Coated Mussels on a spit – 3 Leva

Fresh Mussels with vegetables (400g) – 6 Leva

Fried Mussels (400g) – 7 Leva

Soup Mussels – 4.5 Leva

At almost every visit I cannot resist not to order the coated sea snails (rapans), and the spicy sauce of the house, cooked with ingredients known only by the hosts, goes with absolutely any dish cooked in the pan.

You can serve mussels in any way, from fresh mussels, to grilled mussels, fried, with rice, with vegetables or in a stew.

Dalboka Mussel Farm is also the only place on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast where you can try the sweet desserts with mussels – mussels pie or mussels with apples and whipped cream.

If I convinced you to go to Bulgaria and enjoy the mussels, then you will come back here not only for the taste, a strong and authentic taste of the Black Sea that has nothing to do with the dishes purchased from the big stores.

You will return here for the view of the sea, and also to charge yourself with the wild energy of the place, but especially for the simplicity and for the feeling you have – that you are somewhere at the end of the world, between the earth and the water.

If you understand why you have to go to Dalboka at least once, then you will understand why you will come back here, and transform your return into a tradition once or more times a year.